A weekend of fun in Waconia

Published July 19, 2012 at 12:00 am

By Todd Moen, Editor

If you’re looking for family-friendly events in Waconia this weekend, it’ll be hard to top the offerings available in the coming days.

The 2012 Professional Rodeo event will be held at the Carver County Fairgrounds on Friday and Saturday; Mackenthun’s 9th annual Ribfest event and Relay For Life fundraiser will take place on Saturday; and the 3rd annual All Ford Classic Car and Truck Show will be held at Waconia Ford on Sunday.

Here’s some additional information on these events.

PRCA Rodeo

It doesn’t matter if you’ve never been to a rodeo or you’re a seasoned rodeo veteran, you won’t want to miss the 2012 Professional Rodeo event that will be held at the Carver County Fairgrounds on Friday, July 20 and Saturday, July 21.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. each night. Advance tickets are $11 for adults and $9 for children 6-10. At the gate, admission is $12 for adults and $10 for children 6-10. Children 5 and under are admitted free. Tickets are available at Mackenthun’s Fine Foods in Waconia and at Waconia Farm Supply in Waconia.

Organizer Ted Slathar of Extreme Events MN Inc. promised a great time at the rodeo and noted that more vendors are expected offering a number of fun shops.

A new attraction for Saturday includes an event called Cowboy Poker, where several men sit around a poker table in the middle of the arena. A bull is let loose and the last man sitting at the poker table wins a prize.

"Cowboy Poker is very entertaining. The crowd loves it," said Slathar, noting the rodeo would also be participating at the Ribfest event on Saturday.

Sabrina Behr, the 2012 Miss Rodeo Minnesota, will appear at the rodeo on Friday to help with the grand entry and shagging cattle out of the arena. She will also be promoting the sport of rodeo by meeting with people and signing autographs.

"The rodeo is going to be an amazing time with tons and tons of fun activities for the whole family," said Behr, who hails from Northfield. "I was at the rodeo in Waconia last year. It’s going to be a great atmosphere for everyone to just have a great time."

Behr said she is looking forward to her return visit to Waconia, which is one of almost two-dozen PRCA rodeos that she will be attending this year. Behr will compete for the title of Miss Rodeo America in Las Vegas, Nev., in December.

The 9th annual Ribfest event and Relay For Life fundraiser will be held at Mackenthun’s Fine Foods in Waconia on Saturday, July 21.

Bring the kids to enjoy the bounce house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or the pony rides from 1 to 3 p.m. Traveled Ground will provide live music from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. A dunk tank fundraiser featuring local celebrities will also be a part of the fun. All activities are free. Food and beverages will be available for sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mack Shack.

Want to enter your ribs in the Ribfest competition? Visit www.mackenthuns.com or sign up at Mackenthun’s service center. Organizers offer special thanks to Waconia Farm Supply, Waconia Rodeo, and the Waconia Patriot for their support.

Thirteen competitors entered last year’s Ribfest competition. Fred Weppner of Waconia took first and Joel Moulton of Waconia took second.

Ryan Christianson of Norwood Young America narrowly took third, earning the spot thanks to tiebreakers against two other contestants.

Car Show

The 3rd annual All Ford Classic Car and Truck Show will be held at Waconia Ford (located on Highway 5 in Waconia) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (awards ceremony at 2:30 p.m.) on Sunday, July 22.

The owners of more than 125 vehicles – ranging from all Ford cars and trucks to Lincoln, Mercury and Edsel vehicles – displayed their vehicles last year and organizers anticipate an even larger show this year. Owners can preregister at the dealership for $7 or on the day of the event for $10. Owners will be competing for 11 awards, including one Owners Choice and two Directors Choice awards.

The show features live music, food available from the Waconia Lions, face painting for the kids, and more. The event will be held rain or shine.

"It’s a good time for not only those who bring their cars in but for the community who like to come in and take a look," said Dave Gohl, one of the show’s two directors (Mike Keaveny is the other director). "All drivers will receive a free meal ticket when they bring a non-perishable food item for the Waconia United Food Shelf."

Gohl and Keaveny created the show because they are both into old vehicles and thought it would be a fun way to promote the hobby. Tim Curtis, owner of Waconia Ford, gave his blessing to hold the car show at the dealership because he agreed the event was a good one for hobbyists and the community alike.